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t hisself a new wife？〃
〃He has；〃 said the sergeant。 〃Pretty as you please； and only fifteen years old； if you like that！ She's from Manhattan； though； so she don't talk much English or anyway it don't sound like English when she does。〃
That was all right with Hooch。 He talked Dutch real good； almost as good as he talked English and a lot better than he talked Shaw…Nee。 He'd make friends with Bill Harrison's wife in no time。 He even toyed with the idea of but no； no； it wasn't no good to mess with another man's woman。 Hooch had the desire often enough； but he knew things got way too plicated once you set foot on that road。 Besides； he didn't really need no White woman； not with all these thirsty squaws around。
Would Bill Harrison bring his children out here； now he had a second wife？ Hooch wasn't too sure how old them boys would be now； but old enough they might relish the frontier life。 Still； Hooch had a vague feeling that the boys'd be a lot better off staying in Philadelphia with their aunt。 Not because they shouldn't be out in wild country； but because they shouldn't be near their father。 Hooch liked Bill Harrison just fine； but he wouldn't pick him as the ideal guardian for children even for Bill's own。
Hooch stopped at the gate of the stockade。 Now； there was a nice touch。 Right along with the standard hexes and tokens that were supposed to ward off enemies and fire and other such things； Governor Bill had put up a sign； the width of the gate。 In big letters it said
CARTHAGE CITY
and in smaller letters it said
CAPITAL OF THE STATE OF WOBBISH
which was just the sort of thing old Bill would think of。 In a way； he expected that sign was more powerful than any of the hexes。 As a spark； for instance； Hooch knew that the hex against fire wouldn't stop him； it'd just make it harder to start a fire up right near the hex。 If he got a good blaze going somewhere else； that hex would burn up just like anything else。 But that sign； naming Wobbish a state and Carthage its capital； why； that might actually have some power in it； power over the way folks thought。 If you say a thing often enough； people e to expect it to be true； and pretty soon it bees true。 Oh； not sornething like 〃The moon is going to stop in its tracks and go backward tonight；〃 cause for that to work the moon'd have to hear your words。 But if you say things like 〃That girl's easy〃 or 〃That man's a thief；〃 it doesn't much matter whether the person you're talking about believes you or not everybody else es to believe it； and treats them like it was true。 So Hooch figured that if Harrison got enough people to see a sign that named Carthage as the capital of the state of Wobbish； someday it'd plumb e to be。
Fact is； though； Hooch didn't much care whether it was Harrison who got to be governor and put his capital in Carthage City； or whether it was that teetotaling self…righteous prig Armor…of…God Weaver up north； where Tippy…Canoe Creek flowed into the Wobbish River； who got to be governor and make Vigor Church the capital。 Let those two fight it out； whoever won； Hooch intended to be a rich man and do as he liked。 Either that or see the whole place go up in flames。 If Hooch ever got pletely beat down and broken； he'd make sure nobody else profited。 When a spark had no hope left； he could still get even； which is about all the good Hooch figured he got out of being a spark。
Well； of course； as a spark he made sure his bathwater was always hot； so it wasn't a total loss。 Sure was a nice change； getting off the river and back into civilized life。 The clothes laid out for him were clean； and it felt good to get that prickly beard off his face。 Not to mention the fact that the squaw who bathed him was real eager to get an extra dose of likker； and if Harrison hadn't sent a soldier knocking on his door telling him to hurry it up； Hooch might have collected the first installment of her trade goods。 Instead； though； he dried and dressed。
She looked real； concerned when he started for the door。 〃You be back？〃 she asked。
〃Look here； of course I will；〃 he said。 〃And I'll have a keg with me。〃
〃Before dark though；〃 she said。
〃Well maybe yes and maybe no；〃 he answered。 〃Who cares？〃
〃After dark； all Reds like me； outside fort。〃
〃Is that so；〃 murmured Hooch。 〃Well； I'll try to be back before dark。 And if I don't； I'll remember you。 May forget your face； but I won't forget your hands； hey？ That was a real nice bath。〃
She smiled； but it was a grotesque imitation of a real smile。 Hooch just couldn't figure out why the Reds didn't die out years ago； their women were so ugly。 But if you kind of closed your eyes； a squaw would do well enough until you could get back to real women。
It wasn't just a new mansion Harrison had built he had added a whole new section of stockade； so the fort was about twice the size it used to be。 And a good solid parapet ran the whole length of the stockade。 Harrison was ready for war。 That made Hooch pretty uneasy。 The likker trade didn't thrive too good in wartime。 The kind of Reds who fought battles weren't the kind of Reds who drank likker。 Hooch saw so much of the latter kind that he pretty much forgot the former kind existed。 There was even a cannon。 No； two cannons。 This didn't look good at all。
Harrison's office wasn't in the mansion； though。 It was in another building entirely； a new headquarters building； and Harrison's office was in the southwest corner； with lots of light。 Hooch noticed that besides the normal plement of soldiers on guard and officers doing paperwork； there were several Reds sprawling or sitting in the headquarters building。 Harrison's tame Reds； of course he always kept a few around。
But there were more tame Reds than usual； and the only one Hooch recognized was Lolla…Wossiky； a one…eyed Shaw…Nee who was always about the drunkest Red who wasn't dead yet。 Even the other Reds made fun of him； he was so bad； a real lickspittle。
What made it even funnier was the fact that Harrison himself was the man who shot Lolla…Wossiky's father； some fifteen years ago； when Lolla…Wossiky was just a little tyke； standing right there watching。 Harrison even told the story sometimes right in front of Lolla…Wossiky； and the one…eyed drunk just nodded and laughed and grinned and acted like he had no brains at all； no human dignity； just about the lowest； crawliest Red that Hooch ever seen。 He didn't even care about revenge for his dead papa； just so long as he got his likker。 No； Hooch wasn't a bit surprised to see that Lolla…Wossiky was lying right on the floor outside Harrison's office； so every time the door opened； it bumped him right in the butt。 Incredibly； even now； when there hadn't been new likker in Carthage City in four months； Lolla…Wossiky was pickled。 He saw Hooch e in； sat up on one elbow； waved an arm in greeting； and then rocked back onto the floor without a sound。 The handkerchief he kept tied over his missing eye was out of place； so the empty socket with the sucked…in eyelids was plainly visible。 Hooch felt like that empty eye was looking at him。 He didn't like that feeling。 He didn't like Lolla…Wossiky。 Harrison was the kind of man who liked having such squalid creatures around made him feel real good about himself； by contrast； Hooch figured； but Hooch didn't like seeing such miserable specimens of humanity。 Why hadn't Lolla…Wossiky died yet？
Just as he was about to open Harrison's door； Hooch looked up from the drunken one…eyed Red into the eyes of another man； and here's the funny thing： He thought for a second it was Lolla…Wossiky again； they looked so much alike。 Only it was Lolla…Wossiky with both eyes； and not drunk at all； no sir。 This Red must be six feet from sole to scalp； leaning against the wall； his head shaved except his scalplock； his clothing clean。 He stood straight； like a soldier at attention； and he didn't so much as look at Hooch。 His eyes stared straight into space。 Yet Hooch knew that this boy saw everything； even though he focused on nothing。 It had been a long time since Hooch saw a Red who looked like that； all cold and in control of things。
Dangerous； dangerous； is Harrison getting careless； to let a Red into his own headquarters with eyes like those？ With a bearing like a king； and arms so strong he looks like he could pull a bow made from the trunk of a six…year…old oak？ Lolla…Wossiky was so contemptible it made Hooch sick。 But this Red who looked like Lolla…Wossiky； he was the opposite。 And instead of making Hooch sick； he made Hooch mad； to be so proud and defiant as if he thought he was as good a man as any White。 No； better。 That's how he looked like he thought he was better。
Then he realized he was just standing there； his hand on the latch pull； staring at the Red。 Hadn't moved in how long？ That was no good； to let folks see how this Red made him unfortable。 He pulled the door open and stepped inside。
But he didn't talk about that Red； no sir； that wouldn't do at all。 It wouldn't do to let Harrison know how much that one proud Shaw…Nee bothered him； made him angry。 Because there sat Governor Bill behind a big old table； like God on his throne； and Hooch realized things had changed around here。 It wasn't just the fort that had got bigger so had Bill Harrison's vanity。 And if Hooch was going to make the profit he expected to on this trip； he'd have to make sure Governor Bill came down a peg or two； so they could deal as equals instead of dealing as a tradesman and a governor。
〃Noticed your cannon；〃 said Hooch； not bothering even to say howdy。 〃What's the artillery for； French from Detroit； Spanish from Florida； or Reds？〃
〃No matter who's buying the scalps； it's always Reds； one way or another；〃 said Harrison。 〃Now sit down； relax； Hooch。 When my door is closed there's no ceremony between us。〃 Oh； yes； Governor Bill liked to play his games； just like a politician。 Make a man feel like you're doing him a favor just to let him sit in your presence； flatter him by making him feel like a real chum before you pick his pocket。 Well； thought Hooch； I have some games of my own to play； and we'll see who es out on top。
Hooch sat down and put his feet up on Governor Bill's desk。 He took out a pinch of tobacco and tucked it into his cheek。 He could see Bill flinch a little。 It was a sure sign that his wife had broke him of some manly habits。 〃Care for a pinch？〃 asked Hooch。
It took a minute before Harrison allowed as how he wouldn't mind a bit of it。 〃I mostly swore off this stuff；〃 he said ruefully。
So Harrison still missed his bachelor ways。 Well； that was good news to Hooch。 Gave him a handle to get the Gov off balance。 〃Hear you got yourself a white bedwarmer from Manhattan；〃 said Hooch。
It worked： Harrison's face flushed。 〃I married a lady from New Amsterdam；〃 he said。 His voice was quiet and cold。 Didn't bother Hooch a bit that's just what he wanted。
〃A wife！〃 said Hooch。 〃Well； I'll be！ I beg your pardon； Governor； that wasn't what I heard； you'll have to forgive me； I was only going by what the what the rumors said。〃
〃Rumors？〃 asked Harrison
〃Oh； no； you just never mind。 You know how soldiers talk。 I'm ashamed I listened to them in the first place。 Why； you've kept the memory of your first wife sacred all these years； and if I was any kind of friend of yours； I would've known any woman you took into your house would be a lady； and a properly married wife。〃
〃What I want to know；〃 said Harrison； 〃is who told you she was anything else？〃
〃Now； Bill； it was just loose soldiers' talk； I don't want any man to get in trouble because he can't keep his tongue。 A likker shipment just came in； for heaven's sake； Bill！ You won't hold it against them； what they said with their minds on whisky。 No； you just take a pinch of this tobacky and remember that your boys all like you fine。〃
Harrison took a good…sized chaw from the offered tobacco pouch and tucked it into his cheek。 〃Oh； I know； Hooch； they don't bother me。〃 But Hooch knew thatit did bother him； that Harrison was so angry he couldn't spit straight； which he proved by missing the spittoon。 A spittoon； Hooch noticed； which had been sparkling clean。 Didn't anybody spit around